Residence Visa for Highly Skilled Professionals

Service description

It is a temporary residence and work permit that allows a foreign worker who resides outside Spain to perform a work activity for which a higher education qualification or – exceptionally – a minimum of five years of professional experience that can be considered comparable is required.

The aim is to eliminate bureaucratic boundaries to attract higly skilled foreigners to the Spanish business sector, encouraging the internationalization of Spanish companies and improving the competitiveness of the Spanish economy, from granting a residence permit that shall have the same duration as that specified in the contract or in the document proving the existence of a professional relationship.

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Steps to follow:

Authorizations for Highly Skilled Personnel must be requested by companies who want to hire a third country national as a HQP, in the following cases:

• Management or highly qualified personnel of large companies corporate groups, or SMEs in strategic sectors.
• Management or highly qualified personnel for business projects of general interest.
• Graduates, postgraduates from prestigious universities and business schools.

REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPANIES:

The companies must comply any of the following requirements:

• Staff of more than 250 workers (at least 3 months before the submission of the application)
• A net annual volume of business in Spain exceeding 50 million euros or own funds above 43 million euros.
• Gross average annual investment of not less than 1 million euros over the three years prior to the submission of the application.
• The value of the investor’s stock or position shall be greater than 3 million euros.
• In the case of a SME, it has to belong to a strategic sector

PROJECTS CONSIDERED OF GENERAL INTEREST:

A business project that meets any of these conditions:

• Creation of direct employment.
• Maintenance of employment.
• Investment with socioeconomic impact.
• Reasons of general interest for commercial and investment policy.
• Relevant contribution to scientific and / or technological innovation.

DOCUMENTATION:

General

• Identity card or passport.
• The applicant must be over 18 years of age.
• Documentation attesting the possession of a health insurance, taken out in Spain that provides coverage in Spain during the period of residence.
• Criminal record
• Documentation attesting the possession of sufficient resources for yourself and your relatives during the period of residence in Spain. 

Specific

Documents attesting the compliance with the requirements:

• Staff of more than 250 workers.
• The turnover of the company.
• Foreign investment: Certificate of the Registro de Inversiones.
• Strategic Sector: Report of the Dirección General de Comercio e Inversiones.
• General interest: Report of the Dirección General de Comercio e Inversiones.
• Qualification attesting the graduation/postgraduation.
• Supporting documentation about the applicant company
• Copy of the contract or contract or document proving the existence of a professional relationship.
• Description of the job.